Your class will be writing one or two paragraph(s) as a class group for the story (not one paragraph per student). The first class will write the intro paragraph(s). Then the next class will read the paragraph(s) and decide how they want to continue the story. This will continue until the last class on the list writes the ending and gives the story a title. Your paragraph(s) will be typed onto this Wiki page. You will add the 3 pictures to the wiki after your class writes your paragraph(s). The pictures should illustrate events in the section that your class wrote.
Teacher
Grade
School
Town (County)
Paragraph Start Date
Paragraph Completion Date
Brittany McFarlane
7
Our Lady of the Lake School
Verona (Essex)
February 19, 2016
February 25, 2016
Kim Fiore
8
Trinity Academy
Caldwell (Essex)
April 7, 2016
April 7, 2016
Brittany McFarlane
8
Our Lady of the Lake School
Verona (Essex)
April 20, 2016
April 25, 2016
Ms. Sullivan
8
St. Aloysius Elementary Academy
Jersey City (Hudson)
May 16, 2016
June 2, 2016
Eric's Epiphany
Imagine a world where you couldn’t do what your heart desired; where your dreams didn’t matter. That was Eric’s world. A young seventeen year old boy yearned for the chance to become a journalist. His dream only became a reality when he confided in his four legged companion, Daquan. However, the responsibility of family and loyalty weighed him down like an anchor on a ship. After a long walk home from school in his black and white saddle shoes, Eric looked up at his own personal anchor: The Big Apple. The soda shop had been in the Macintosh family for years and the business was passed down to the eldest son who willingly took on the responsibility. Since Eric was an only child, he was next in line to receive the burden of the failing soda shop. Every night Eric watched his father worry over the financial instability of the business. “Don’t worry, George,” the customers would say, “once the war is over, business will pick up again.” Eric, however, knew the war in Germany was just beginning and the battle of the Macintosh soda shop was about to begin as he entered the shop. George could feel the fight brewing as his son sat at the counter top playing with his slicked back black hair. Eric’s blue eyes showed both compassion and determination, just like his mother’s would. “Dad, I need to talk to you about The Big Apple and my future.”
As Eric began, he could see his father shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Deep down inside Eric knew that his father wouldn’t change his mind; although, he couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit of hope. Eric tried to get his dad to see his viewpoint, but it seemed useless at this point. Whenever Eric brought up a his future, his father always shook his head and said “Later, I’m busy right now.” Eric always sighed and turned away, but not this time. He looked his father in the eye and told him about his future and what he wanted to do. His father, shocked at this sudden outburst, took a deep breath, while Eric waited anxiously for his response. He didn’t know what to expect. Anger was the first that came to mind. That his father would be angry with him. He studied his father’s movements; he could tell that his father was really thinking this over. His father put on a poker face, looked Eric in the eye and said…...
“Eric, we have had this conversation over and over. This is the last time we will have this conversation, so let me make myself clear. You are not going to college. You are not becoming a journalist. You are going to take over The Big Apple when I retire just like all the Macintosh men have done in years past. End of discussion”. George’s face was stern and stoic, but Eric was going to put up a fight. With all his might, Eric banged on the smooth counter top with his large fists and yelled “I don’t want to run this business! I want be creative and I can’t do that in a soda shop. You never listen to what I want for my life. It only matters what you want. I wish I was never born into the Macintosh family! I wish I was born into a different family!” Eric stood up and burst through the door. Daquan looked startled and followed the young man. The long walk home would give him time to cool down after the fight in the soda shop. As Eric laid his head on the pillow, he began to wonder what life would be like if he weren’t a Macintosh. He could go to school and pursue his dreams. Eric awoke in a panic. He was no longer lying in his comfy bed, but rather, on a hard wooden surface that was moving. He looked around and saw he was in a small cattle truck with about eighty other adults. Everyone looked the same. Frail, thin bodies, no hair, and matching striped outfits. Where am I? What is going on? Who are these people?, Eric wondered. His gaze fell upon the window as the cattle truck came to a stop. Huge black gates stopped the truck from entering. Above the gates read a sign, Arbeit Macht Frei. Eric didn’t know it then, but his wish had come true. He was born into a Jewish family that was being transported to Auschwitz, a death camp.
Eric's heart started beating out of his chest as he looked down to see the clothes he was wearing and heard the foreign language of the Nazis. As he came to the realization of where he was, he soon found himself being pushed off the truck and into the camp. He looked around and saw many Nazi soldiers. He saw that one of the soldiers walked a dog that Eric immediately recognized as his own. He called out to the dog and felt the eyes of everyone looking at him. His eyes shifted to the soldier walking the dog, and felt a familiar heavy presence looming over him. A deep voice bellowed with a foreign accent yet familiar tone; it was his father. "Erhalten wieder in einklang!" (Get back in line!) Eric tries to run to his father. The soldier drew his pistol on instinct. Everything seemed to be in slow-motion as the bullet hurtled toward him, closing his eyes he prayed for someway out of this.
Eric opened his eyes and his prayers had been answered. He was in a room, he saw posters hanging from the cinder block wall, but what caught his eye was the calendar hanging above the desk. The date read 'September 20, 1920'. To his left there was a small metal frame bed. A young man walked in. It was like looking in a mirror "Hey Eric, how was your exam?" Eric responds "Who are you?" The young man responds "Whats wrong with you? I am your roommate, we have the same last name. What, did you forget again? Maybe you would remember if I was here more often. Anyway I gotta go, my dad is making me work at the soda shop again."
Before the young man could leave, Eric called out to him, "What shop?" "My family's shop, The Big Apple," before grumbling, "I might not even make it through this semester, since my dad keeps pestering me about taking over the shop. He cares more for the shop than my education," Deciding he spent enough time talking, he took his leave. After a minute, bewildered, Eric followed his "roommate" over to the shop, shocked to see that it was the same shop his father owns. He walked through the doors, hearing the small bell over it ring.
As he looked over the contents of the shop he overhears the yelling near the counter. His eyes gazed upon an all too familiar scene: his "roommate" was arguing with what seemed to be a younger version of his grandfather. Curious as to see what they were speaking about, Eric walked up to the counter, the two other men pausing their conversation. "What's the argument about?" he asked the older man behind the counter. "It's a family conflict, you wouldn't understand." Surprised by seeing Eric, his "roommate" questions him on why he is there. "I was just... curious to see the shop that you work at." His "roommate" said nothing to his father and offered Eric a soda. Taking him to the back, Eric was given an ice cold root beer. "My dad was just talking to me about dropping out of college to take over the shop. He doesn't want me to pursue my dreams of being a musician." To this new revelation, Eric finally realizes his father's reasons for not letting him pursue his own dreams. "Oh, well, keep at it. I'm sure you'll be able to convince him. I'll see you back in our room later." He said his goodbyes to the Macintosh men who stayed behind the counter and opened the front door, walking through it.
The world was pitch black for a second before he realized he had to open his eyes. He awoke to find himself in his bed again. He frantically runs out of the room, searching for his father. Soon, he finds his father listening to music, strumming his guitar along in the living room. Eric asks his father "What did you want to be before you took over the business?" His father goes on to tell him all about his younger days with his father. The father says "I've had time to think of this, just because my dreams were taken away from me, doesn't mean yours have to be. I will allow you to pursue your dreams, with one condition, you promise to give our shop a great review and hopefully boost up our business." They shared a laugh and an ice cold root beer float.
Eric's Epiphany
Imagine a world where you couldn’t do what your heart desired; where your dreams didn’t matter. That was Eric’s world. A young seventeen year old boy yearned for the chance to become a journalist. His dream only became a reality when he confided in his four legged companion, Daquan. However, the responsibility of family and loyalty weighed him down like an anchor on a ship. After a long walk home from school in his black and white saddle shoes, Eric looked up at his own personal anchor: The Big Apple. The soda shop had been in the Macintosh family for years and the business was passed down to the eldest son who willingly took on the responsibility. Since Eric was an only child, he was next in line to receive the burden of the failing soda shop. Every night Eric watched his father worry over the financial instability of the business. “Don’t worry, George,” the customers would say, “once the war is over, business will pick up again.” Eric, however, knew the war in Germany was just beginning and the battle of the Macintosh soda shop was about to begin as he entered the shop. George could feel the fight brewing as his son sat at the counter top playing with his slicked back black hair. Eric’s blue eyes showed both compassion and determination, just like his mother’s would. “Dad, I need to talk to you about The Big Apple and my future.”
As Eric began, he could see his father shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Deep down inside Eric knew that his father wouldn’t change his mind; although, he couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit of hope. Eric tried to get his dad to see his viewpoint, but it seemed useless at this point. Whenever Eric brought up a his future, his father always shook his head and said “Later, I’m busy right now.” Eric always sighed and turned away, but not this time. He looked his father in the eye and told him about his future and what he wanted to do. His father, shocked at this sudden outburst, took a deep breath, while Eric waited anxiously for his response. He didn’t know what to expect. Anger was the first that came to mind. That his father would be angry with him. He studied his father’s movements; he could tell that his father was really thinking this over. His father put on a poker face, looked Eric in the eye and said…...
“Eric, we have had this conversation over and over. This is the last time we will have this conversation, so let me make myself clear. You are not going to college. You are not becoming a journalist. You are going to take over The Big Apple when I retire just like all the Macintosh men have done in years past. End of discussion”. George’s face was stern and stoic, but Eric was going to put up a fight. With all his might, Eric banged on the smooth counter top with his large fists and yelled “I don’t want to run this business! I want be creative and I can’t do that in a soda shop. You never listen to what I want for my life. It only matters what you want. I wish I was never born into the Macintosh family! I wish I was born into a different family!” Eric stood up and burst through the door. Daquan looked startled and followed the young man. The long walk home would give him time to cool down after the fight in the soda shop. As Eric laid his head on the pillow, he began to wonder what life would be like if he weren’t a Macintosh. He could go to school and pursue his dreams. Eric awoke in a panic. He was no longer lying in his comfy bed, but rather, on a hard wooden surface that was moving. He looked around and saw he was in a small cattle truck with about eighty other adults. Everyone looked the same. Frail, thin bodies, no hair, and matching striped outfits. Where am I? What is going on? Who are these people?, Eric wondered. His gaze fell upon the window as the cattle truck came to a stop. Huge black gates stopped the truck from entering. Above the gates read a sign, Arbeit Macht Frei. Eric didn’t know it then, but his wish had come true. He was born into a Jewish family that was being transported to Auschwitz, a death camp.
Eric's heart started beating out of his chest as he looked down to see the clothes he was wearing and heard the foreign language of the Nazis. As he came to the realization of where he was, he soon found himself being pushed off the truck and into the camp. He looked around and saw many Nazi soldiers. He saw that one of the soldiers walked a dog that Eric immediately recognized as his own. He called out to the dog and felt the eyes of everyone looking at him. His eyes shifted to the soldier walking the dog, and felt a familiar heavy presence looming over him. A deep voice bellowed with a foreign accent yet familiar tone; it was his father. "Erhalten wieder in einklang!" (Get back in line!) Eric tries to run to his father. The soldier drew his pistol on instinct. Everything seemed to be in slow-motion as the bullet hurtled toward him, closing his eyes he prayed for someway out of this.
Eric opened his eyes and his prayers had been answered. He was in a room, he saw posters hanging from the cinder block wall, but what caught his eye was the calendar hanging above the desk. The date read 'September 20, 1920'. To his left there was a small metal frame bed. A young man walked in. It was like looking in a mirror "Hey Eric, how was your exam?" Eric responds "Who are you?" The young man responds "Whats wrong with you? I am your roommate, we have the same last name. What, did you forget again? Maybe you would remember if I was here more often. Anyway I gotta go, my dad is making me work at the soda shop again."
Before the young man could leave, Eric called out to him, "What shop?" "My family's shop, The Big Apple," before grumbling, "I might not even make it through this semester, since my dad keeps pestering me about taking over the shop. He cares more for the shop than my education," Deciding he spent enough time talking, he took his leave. After a minute, bewildered, Eric followed his "roommate" over to the shop, shocked to see that it was the same shop his father owns. He walked through the doors, hearing the small bell over it ring.
As he looked over the contents of the shop he overhears the yelling near the counter. His eyes gazed upon an all too familiar scene: his "roommate" was arguing with what seemed to be a younger version of his grandfather. Curious as to see what they were speaking about, Eric walked up to the counter, the two other men pausing their conversation. "What's the argument about?" he asked the older man behind the counter. "It's a family conflict, you wouldn't understand." Surprised by seeing Eric, his "roommate" questions him on why he is there. "I was just... curious to see the shop that you work at." His "roommate" said nothing to his father and offered Eric a soda. Taking him to the back, Eric was given an ice cold root beer. "My dad was just talking to me about dropping out of college to take over the shop. He doesn't want me to pursue my dreams of being a musician." To this new revelation, Eric finally realizes his father's reasons for not letting him pursue his own dreams. "Oh, well, keep at it. I'm sure you'll be able to convince him. I'll see you back in our room later." He said his goodbyes to the Macintosh men who stayed behind the counter and opened the front door, walking through it.
The world was pitch black for a second before he realized he had to open his eyes. He awoke to find himself in his bed again. He frantically runs out of the room, searching for his father. Soon, he finds his father listening to music, strumming his guitar along in the living room. Eric asks his father "What did you want to be before you took over the business?" His father goes on to tell him all about his younger days with his father. The father says "I've had time to think of this, just because my dreams were taken away from me, doesn't mean yours have to be. I will allow you to pursue your dreams, with one condition, you promise to give our shop a great review and hopefully boost up our business." They shared a laugh and an ice cold root beer float.